Then in chapter 2:, after telling us what we once were from two different angles, and

the wonderful interposition by God in His grace and mercy (verses 4, 5) we read: "But

God, who is rich in mercy for His great love wherewith He loved us. Even when we

were dead in sins, hath quickened us (made us alive) together with Christ". And then we

have the reference to grace slipped in by the Apostle. Some people start with grace and

then they seem to forget it. But we should not do that. We must learn to live by grace, to

serve by grace, and we go on with grace right from the moment of salvation to the end of

the pilgrim journey. "By grace", he says, "ye are saved. And hath raised us up together,

and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus". This is a tremendous

climax; here we have reached the highest point of revelation in the whole of the Bible for

the believer! This is a challenging statement, but I ask you to try and find something in

the Scriptures that is higher or more wonderful than this. Think of the height of glory

that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to, the Father's right hand.  Think too of the

"exceeding greatness of His power" which was worked in Christ when He was raised

from the dead and seated (set) in the heavenly places far above all. Then consider this

redeemed company in the same heavenly places, seated together in Him--what a

position! But the Apostle (in verse 7) goes on "That in the ages to come He might show

the exceeding riches of his grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus". So

when the whole of the Church is at home in glory, there are still riches to unfold. This

too baffles description. The Apostle uses the word `exceeding', as though even he could

not fully explain. What is the future going to unfold for the favoured believers of this

company, the Body of Christ as the ages roll their course? Exceeding riches are going to

be made known to us!

Let us come to chapter 3:  Paul is speaking again of his ministry concerning this

secret. There are two secrets in this context which we will look at more closely in

another study. There is the `mystery of Christ', the secret concerning Him, the Head, and

the secret concerning His Body, the Church. The one concerning His Body you will find

explained in verse 6: "That the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs, and of the same body,

and partakers . . . . ." In the Greek is a three-fold stress on the preposition sun which

gives us equality "Joint-heirs, and a joint-body, and joint-partakers of His promise in

Christ by the good news (gospel) whereof I was made a minister according to the gift of

the grace of God which is given to me by the effectual working of His power. Unto me,

who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I might preach among the

Gentiles" (that is you and me), "the unsearchable riches of Christ". Here is something

that Israel, even at their zenith, never had. Do we realize what a favoured people we are?

We are put in the position to get to know some of the most marvelous truths that it is

possible to conceive. And then the Apostle adds that he wants to make all see "what is

the fellowship (or dispensation) of the secret, which from the beginning of the world hath

been hid in God Who created all things by Jesus Christ".

Further on in this chapter he prays the second time, and we find this word `riches'

occurring once more. He writes (verse 16) "That He (the Father) would grant you (or

give you) according to the riches of His glory". What a measure to give! God is going to

give this company according to the riches of His glory "to be strengthened with might by